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The Tampa Bay Rays (95-62) and Boston Red Sox (76-80) open up a 2-game set at Fenway Park Tuesday. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Rays vs. Red Sox odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: Rays lead 9-2
Tampa comes in here zig-zagging wins and losses in each of the last 6 games. The Rays are still 2 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East but they have a 9-game buffer as the top AL Wild Card spot with 5 games to go.
The Red Sox have lost 4 of 5 games as their disappointing season nears its end. They are 10-20 over the last 30 games and 39-40 at home. They will likely finish in the cellar in the AL East.
Rays at Red Sox projected starters
RHP Zach Eflin vs. RHP Tanner Houck
Eflin (15-8, 3.44 ERA) makes his 31st start. He has a 1.03 WHIP, 1.3 BB/9 and 9.5 K/9 through 172 2/3 IP.
- Last start: No-decision, 5 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 10 K Thursday against Los Angeles Angels
- 3 career starts vs. Red Sox: 0-0, 6.43 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 21 K in 14 IP
Houck (5-9, 4.92 ERA) makes his 20th start. He has a 1.35 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9 and 8.4 K/9 through 97 IP.
- Last start: No-decision, 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K last Tuesday against Texas Rangers
- 2 career starts vs. Rays: 0-2, 6.30 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 14 K in 10 IP
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Rays at Red Sox odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated 9:50 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Rays -125 (bet $125 to win $100) | Red Sox +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Rays -1.5 (+135) | Red Sox +1.5 (-160)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Rays at Red Sox picks and predictions
Prediction
Rays 4, Red Sox 3
Moneyline
The Red Sox scored just 5 runs in a 3-game series against the hapless Chicago White Sox over the weekend. While Tampa is inconsistent, they have scored at least 3 runs in 8 of 10.
Eflin has bad numbers against Boston, but he hasn’t allowed more than 3 ER in any of his last 7 starts. He’ll set the tone and keep them in it.
Take the RAYS (-125) at a solid price.
Run line/Against the spread
The keyword here is inconsistent. The Rays haven’t won back-to-back games in more than a week, and it’s hard to trust them on the RL.
PASS.
Over/Under
Trust is very important here, and the theme has been inconsistency. The Over is 6-4 between the teams in the last 10 games. However, the Under has hit in 4 of the last 6. The Red Sox aren’t scoring runs, and Tampa will need them in order to cash an Over here.
LEAN UNDER 8 (-105).
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